The Gospel According to St Matthew

Chapter 12

Jesus proclaims Himself Lord of the Sabbath and heals on the Sabbath day—He is accused of casting out devils through the power of Beelzebub—He speaks of blasphemy against the Holy Ghost and says that an evil and adulterous generation seeks signs.

1 At that time Jesus went on the asabbath day through the bcorn; and his disciples were an hungred, and began to pluck the cears of corn, and to eat.

2 But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the sabbath day.

3 But he said unto them, Have ye not aread what bDavid did, when he was an hungred, and they that were with him;

4 How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the ashewbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests?

5 Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the asabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless?

6 But I say unto you, That in this place is one greater than the atemple.

7 But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have amercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless.

22 ¶Then was brought unto him one possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb: and he healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw.

23 And all the people were amazed, and said, Is not this the son of aDavid?

24 But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by aBeelzebub the prince of the devils.

25 And Jesus knew their athoughts, and said unto them, Every bkingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand:

26 And if aSatan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand?

27 And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? therefore they shall be your judges.

28 But if I cast out adevils by the bSpirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto cyou.

29 Or else how can one enter into a strong man’s house, and aspoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house.

30 He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not awith me scattereth abroad.

31 ¶Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven aunto men: but the bblasphemyagainst the Holy Ghost shall cnot be forgiven unto men.

32 And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be aforgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.

33 Either make the tree good, and his afruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by hisbfruit.

34 O ageneration of vipers, how can ye, being evil, bspeak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.

35 A good man out of the good atreasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth bevil things.

37 For by thy awords thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.

38 ¶Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a asign from thee.

39 But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a asign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas:

40 For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be athree days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

41 The men of aNineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they brepented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.

42 The aqueen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here.

43 aWhen the bunclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none.

44 Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished.

45 Then goeth ahe, and taketh with himself seven other bspirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last cstate of that man is dworse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.

46 ¶While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his abrethren stood bwithout, desiring to speak with him.

47 Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee.

48 But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren?

49 And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my amother and my brethren!

50 For whosoever shall do the awill of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my bbrother, and sister, and mother.